Comic books and other collectible items such as books and magazines are bought and sold at trade shows and collectible item dealer stores. In addition, collectible items are increasingly being transacted over the Internet. In these types of transactions, purchasers are concerned that the item purchased is not authentic and/or not accurately described or graded. There exist commercial services that authenticate, grade, and encapsulate comic books submitted by owners. Once a comic book is graded, the service encapsulates the book within a tamper-evident transparent plastic case with a certificate indicating the description and grade of the book. The graded and encapsulated book, which is then returned by the service to its owner, becomes a more marketable item than one that is not graded and encapsulated.
In addition to establishing authenticity and grade, comic book cases also protect books from wear and tear. Damage can occur, for example, during shipping of a book that is otherwise not protected by a case. U.S. Pat. No. 5,415,290 describes a comic book protection cover system including an open ended bag formed of thin flexible transparent polypropylene and a rectangular rigid transparent insert. Space remains in the bag for receipt of the comic book adjacent the insert. U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,925 describes a preservation device for a collectible article in which a front and back panel define a cavity for receiving the collectible article. A spacing sheet positioned between the front and back panels creates a channel around the article. A gaseous substance is circulated around the channel. The gaseous substance is exposed to a desiccant for removing moisture. Screws are used to secure the back panel to the front panel. The article can be removed from the preservation device by unscrewing the screws.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,207 describes a collectible article holder providing readily observable positive evidence if tampering of the holder has occurred, thereby indicating that the item contained in the holder is authentic. The collectible article, such as a comic book, is placed in a core. Means for authenticating the collectible article is coupled to the core. The core is received in a cavity formed between a top and a bottom of a case. The top and bottom are ultrasonically bonded together. The case is designed to include means for positively indicating sealing of the top to the bottom which means form a visible irreparable condition of the case indicative of tampering. Key slots are formed in the side of the case to allow a purchaser after purchasing the collectible article to insert a tool, such as a screwdriver, in order to open the case. After the case is opened, the core layers can be peeled apart for allowing the purchaser to handle the collectible article. It will be appreciated that after the case has been opened, the collectible article is no longer certified as authentic.